Off Topic - That Was the Week It Was - February 27, 2011

Why, it's Sunday morning once again! That means it's time for my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken.

Winter is winding down a bit here despite some snow we had on Monday. On Friday we had steady, then heavy, rain accompanied by a few thunderstorms. That's the second time we've had thunderstorms in the past few weeks. Usually February goes by without a hint of thunder. But we all know this season's been anything but normal. In between the snow and rain, we had a few nice days with temperatures in the forties and sunshine ... and we had bitter cold and wind.

Early in the week I caught some kind of bug which cranked my own temperature up. Perhaps it was my misguided wishes for warmer weather? Whatever it was, it kicked my butt for a few days. But it has left me kind of grouchy. What do I do when grouchy? I lash out!

• Excuse me, fool on the cell phone walking towards me ... I'm just going to keep walking the way I'm going. You NEED to pay attention to where you're going. After all, I could be a solid object!
• Do NOT walk out of a store door and just stop while looking dumb! Move along! I want to get out of the door!
• Do NOT get off the train and stop on the stairs either! I'm walking bone-on-bone in one knee and I want that railing. You do NOT want me to fall on you, do you? I thought not. Move along!
• Stop riding that bicycle on the city sidewalk, grown man.
• If you're pushing a shopping cart, don't go all zombie looking at stuff to buy and wheel your cart into people. If you must go all zombie over merchandise, pull to the side of the aisle and park it. Either that, or watch where you're going.
• I thought I was grocery shopping. I didn't realize that it's obviously some sort of social event or reunion with people blocking the aisles to talk.
• How come in this day and age, there's a two-year old all by himself near the exit door to the parking lot? Oh, parent(s)? Where are you?
• That yappy little dog downstairs is getting yappier.
• The big red stop sign on the automatic store door means it's an exit. You enter the automatic door with the green sign. Sheesh.
• Bon Jovi fans on NJ Transit trains are as odd as NJ Devils fans on NJ Transit trains, just a different kind of odd.
• Just because you don't think I speak Spanish doesn't mean I don't understand what you're saying.
• But, no. I don't understand the Mandarin Chinese you're shouting into your cell phone while I just want a peaceful commute.

There. I feel better now.

On the home front, the new neighbors seem bearable. I heard classic rock music playing one day -- not really, really loud. I occasionally hear muffled voices. One night I came home to them hammering on their/my dining room wall. Those kinds of noises should vanish once they're settled in. They're quite quiet as the evening goes on. I still haven't met or seen them yet. But they're there.

Also on the home front -- maintenance dudes put some sort of poorly done ramp out the middle door of the building. I assume it's for accessibility. Yet, it's so poorly done that I keep almost falling every time I go out that door. I don't think a ramp is supposed to start flush with the doorway itself. Shouldn't there be door to flat section or landing to the ramp? If someone tries to come in with a wheelchair, they're going to keep rolling backwards into the lot!

Oh well ... onto this week's photos. I'm really wanting spring shots. I'm growing bored with my photo fodder. Plus, I missed one day's walk and it was bitter cold with wind or raining another day. Clicking on an image will open it larger in a new window, then just go back on your browser.

Mouse Ears

Yes, I messed with the editing of this photo. The identical two doors themselves with their identical parking meter shadows caught my eye as I waited for my train. Yet the busyness of the surroundings sort of drowned them out. So I edited the colors and used the "posterization" doohickey on my photo editing software. The doors are in the original colors. North Street, Plainfield.

Angry Clouds and Contrasts

As the storms moved away driven by wild winds on Friday, the sun came out shortly before sundown. The color differences between the clouds and the barren trees and poison ivy vines made me go for this one. If you look closely, that's Route 287 in the background. Yes, it leads to the NJ Turnpike. No, don't ask me what exit. I took this at the Bridgewater Train Station looking to the east.

Gordon the Goose entertaining the chicks

"So this human walked into a bar ..." No, that's not a small pond. We were under a flood watch on Friday. This is the first time I've ever really seen water gather there. There is a pond on the other side of the fence. Bridgewater Train Station.

The glow of Danny's Bakery

I edited this one to just leave the bakery windows and the reflection on the rain-soaked street in color. North Avenue at the corner of Watchung Avenue, Plainfield.

Plainfield Train Station Lamps in the Rain

Also edited for the color/B&W effect. Yes, I know I've taken similar shots to this before. But I was stuck in place at the train station in the rain Friday morning.

Definitely!

Looking out my train window into that train window, I mysteriously wanted a nap. A clever billboard campaign by Sleepy's Mattresses which can be seen at the Dunellen Train Station. Of course, if I had a mattress and fell asleep on the train, I'd be like ol' Charlie on the MTA.

Lonesome Dove

Even though birds are plotting to overthrow mankind, I found this a bit sad. Doves are almost always in pairs. I don't think it's the right time of the year for this to be a young dove without a mate.

Look! Spring! Spring! Spring!

Some buds are forming on the trees with the wonderful spring blossoms on Church Street in Plainfield. Happy dance time! Of course, the cemetery is still mostly snowed in as it's in the shadows and there are huge ugly snow piles nearby. But ... LEAF BUDS!

I am Tyrannosaurus Rex Squirrel!
Fear me!

Lesser creatures run from the towering squirrel with his dangling little front legs as he stomps the church grounds on East Front Street in Plainfield.

Posing for animal crackers?

A squirrel on Berckman Street freeze-framed as if posing for my camera.

Yes, it did snow this week!

Looking at the house which still has all of its holiday decorations up through the snow-laden tree Monday morning. Near the corner of East Front and Richmond, Plainfield.

Snow from the platform

Plainfield Train Station, again Monday morning, again snow. I edited it to leave just the red banners in color.

Those lamps again

Well, not the same ones as in the other photo. This is looking towards East Third Street from the westbound platform.

Silent snowy morning

Because it was a holiday (not for me), there was little traffic as I headed in to work Monday morning. Trains were on a holiday schedule, so it was daylight when I walked to the station. Due to warm weather the week before, the snow melted for the longest time on the roads and really didn't accumulate all that much on the sidewalks, either. East Front and Church Streets.

Snow Depth Guide

Some helpful person set this fine chair outside just so I could tell how much snow had actually fallen. About two inches as I went through. East Front Street.

A snowy day in Jersey,
A snowy day in Jersey,
Sometimes I think it's
Snowing all over the world.

East Front Street, Monday morning. My apologies to Georgia.

"Damn snow."

His expression says it all. Plainfield Train Station.

"You know ... I do see you."

But Vincent, you're so photogenic!

How was your week?